The Brute!

We make 875 hp with a 565-inch Big-Block Chevy

- Steven Rupp

The easiest way to make big power is to start with a big engine. Big-block Chevys are a great platform for making big power, and the only thing better than a big-block is an even bigger one. If a 454 is good, then a 502 is even better, right? If we follow this line of thinking, a 502 can make the transition from good to great by simply punching out an extra 63 cubic inches. The goal for this particular 565 big-block stroker was to reach an honest 850 hp on pump gas, without resorting to a power adder.

01 Since we were looking for serious power, this 565 featured a ton of good parts, starting with a World Products Merlin III block. The Merlin III featured reinforced bulkheads and main webbing, plus thicker decks to help it withstand elevated power levels. The Merlin III block also allowed us to combine the 4.60-inch bore with a 4.25-inch stroke.

02 To ensure a stout bottom end, we combined a K1 forged crank with Carrillo Bullet-series connecting rods.

03 Knowing boost and nitrous were also in the cards someday, we installed CP forged pistons designed to provide a static compression ratio of 10.5:1.

04 The cam is a major player in determining the power output of any engine. To ensure our big-block produced the power we were looking for, we installed a healthy roller camshaft from Comp (PN 11-727-9). The solid roller offered 0.800/0.748 lift, 284/300-degree of duration, and a 112-degree LSA.

05 Topping the healthy short block was a set of AFR 357 Magnum heads. The AFR heads were designed for larger-displacement big-blocks running in the higher rpm range like our 565 was set to do.